Green Warrior Protein Smoothie

March 31, 2014Angela (Oh She Glows)

by Angela (Oh She Glows) on March 31, 2014

I can’t say that I felt much like a warrior during my first trimester. I did look and feel a little green though! I was cruising along feeling fine until week 6 came along and then I discovered that pregnancy hormones are no joke. All day nausea and extreme fatigue hit me like a ton of bricks. The fatigue was like nothing I’d felt before; it’s almost like feeling tired deep in my bones. I considered it a successful day if I could peel myself off the couch and do something productive. As someone who likes to be in motion at all times, this was a big adjustment. I said to Eric, “I’ll never complain about PMS again!!” hah. It was difficult trying to crank out blog posts because I wasn’t the least bit excited about food. Even drinking water was a struggle for my nauseous tummy. I despised water with a passion. I’ve never experienced anything quite like it. Bedtime was 8:30pm most nights (that’s if I could make it that long without falling asleep on the couch) – Sketchie has been loving all this extra cuddle time though! Some mornings I would wake up after 11 hours of sleep which I still can’t wrap my mind around. The human body just amazes me how it conserves energy when it needs to. It’s been a great lesson in trusting that my body knows best.

Anytime I need a boost, I just think of the end result and I’m filled with a burst of excitement. I feel like I’m walking around with this little friend inside of me, who goes wherever I go and lets me know when to slow down and rest. Now that I’m in the second trimester I’m starting to get back a bit of energy although the nausea is still pretty strong some days. Last week, I stayed up until 10pm a few nights – a darn miracle if you ask me! Bring on the honeymoon trimester!

Spending a lot of energy cooking hasn’t been my forte many days. That’s why smoothies continue to be such an important daily aspect of my diet. In 10 minutes, I can have a smoothie in hand that would just about rival the most nutritious meal around. I’ve been drinking this smoothie as a way to pack in a ton of nutrition with minimal effort. This smoothie was actually a contender for my cookbook, but I didn’t finalize the recipe in time. However, the photo of this smoothie did make it into the book (see page 54). A couple of you noticed the picture and asked me for the recipe, so I’m sharing it today!

Drinking this makes me feel like a bit like a warrior (even if this warrior is asleep on the couch before her favourite show comes on TV). I even started doing a 30 minute prenatal workout which is another big victory of late. It’s the small things. It really is.

Algae oil (DHA rich) – A sustainable, plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids. My go-to brand is NutraVege. Making up 97% of the fatty acids found in the brain, DHA is a very important long-chain fatty acid in the omega-3 family. It’s super important for pregnant women and children under the age of 2 as it supports brain, vision, and nerve development. Note: I don’t add this oil directly into the smoothie. I simply take it seperately so it doesn’t impact the flavour.

Virgin Coconut Oil – Coconut oil has antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. It’s rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) which help boost the metabolism and lower the risk of heart disease.

Hulled hemp seeds – A great source of complete protein, contains the ideal balance of omega 3-6-9 fatty acids, and is high in fibre. Hemp seeds also reduce inflammation in the body and balance hormones.

Mango – Rich in vitamin C, fibre, and beta-carotene. It also contains enzymes that help with the breakdown of protein in the body (great for the above protein-rich hemp seeds!).

Green Warrior Protein Smoothie

Talk about a super charged meal in a glass! I use hemp hearts as the major protein source for this drink. In addition to being a complete protein source, hemp hearts also contain the ideal balance of omega 3-6-9 fatty acids and are high in fibre. They work wonderfully to make this smoothie super creamy, all without needing any banana. This smoothie also highlights one of my biggest cravings - the juicy red grapefruit - which is balanced with a sweet apple and buttery mango. If you prefer a sweeter smoothie, feel free to swap the grapefruit juice for coconut water or orange juice, or add a touch of liquid sweetener.

Yield3 cups (750 mL)

Prep time10 Minutes

Cook time0 Minutes

Total time10 Minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh red grapefruit juice*

1 cup (25 g) destemmed dinosaur/lacinato kale or baby spinach**

1 large sweet apple (200 g), cored and roughly chopped

1 cup (130 g) chopped cucumber

1 medium/large stalk celery (85 g), chopped (about 3/4 cup)

3 tablespoons (30 g) hemp hearts, or to taste

1/3 cup (55 g) frozen mango

2 tablespoons (4 g) packed fresh mint leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons virgin coconut oil (optional)

4 ice cubes, or as needed

Directions:

Juice a red grapefruit and add 1/2 cup grapefruit juice to the blender.

Now add the kale (or spinach), apple, cucumber, celery, hemp, mango, mint, coconut oil (if using), and ice. Blend on high until super smooth. (If using a Vitamix, use the tamper stick to push it down until it blends). You can add a bit of water if necessary to get it blending.

Pour into a glass and enjoy immediately! This makes enough for a large glass with some leftover so you can also divide it into two servings and save one for later.

Tips:

* Feel free to sub the grapefruit juice with orange juice or coconut water if a sweeter smoothie is desired.

** I use dinosaur/lacinato kale because it has a milder flavour than regular curly kale. Feel free to use baby spinach too.

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The Oh She Glows Cookbook hits Costco US!

Today is a very special day – The OSG Cookbook hits shelves across Costco in the US! We are thrilled to have another major retailer pick up this cookbook. Don’t forget, it’s already in many Costco locations in Canada too. We’d love it if you could snap pictures of the book in Costco stores and share them on twitter using the hashtag #osgcookbook!

We’re packing up to move this week (ahh!) and my kitchen is all in boxes. *sniff, sniff. If you don’t hear from me again this week that’s why. Wish us luck!

May wanna hold off on that. My understanding is that actual juicers move their blades at high enough speeds that they destroy the fiber content. I don’t know if anyone’s looked into high powered blenders similarly.

Nathan & Amy, it really depends on the quality of the juicer. Many of the higher end juicers actually keep quite a bit of the pulp/fibre because they use a low speed extraction versus high speed grinding. I would say that like most things, you get what you pay for with juicers. I use the Kuvings Silent Juicer and I’ve been so happy with it!

Juicers do remove quite a bit of the fibre. I have a masticating juicer, and after grinding the fruit/veg it strains out the fibre and leaves the juice. There are recipes that you can use to make things from the leftover fibre (like crackers). Personally I can’t digest that much fibre, so while I can tolerate a small smoothie on occasion, I can drink a few glasses of juice a day without and digestive difficulty (as long as there’s not too much fruit in them). One isn’t better than the other. They’re really different things, depending on what you’re looking for.

Juicers do take the the fiber out of the vegetables and fruits, but the advantage to juicing is you can fit a whole lot more nutrients into a juice than you can a smoothie without feeling full. Somebody on a short cleanse will juice because they get so many nutrients and without the fiber, it gives your digestive system a rest. Smoothies are easier to make and clean up after, however, and the fiber is great for cleaning out the pipes!

I just love the versatility of smoothies. I get so bored with the same thing, so it’s nice to have an arsenal of different green smoothies to keep things fresh–pun intended :) I’m really looking forward to hearing more about your vegan pregnancy journey and how you’ll approach things. My husband and I are trying to conceive and there aren’t a ton of resources out there for vegan pregnancies. What I’ve found has had a lot of conflicting information (ie: take supplements or just be super vigilant with diet?), so it’ll be nice to see your approach. Best of luck with it all, and I hope you continue to feel better along the way!

I agree with Anele, being a couch warrior is totally fine when your body is busy supporting another one! :)

This sounds delicious, I can’t wait to try it. I’m in graduate school right now, working, and married so sometimes I am lucky if I can eat. Stress makes you not want to eat as much, so I have been relying on smoothies quite a bit. I’ll have to add this one to my go-to list to get all of my nutrients.

When I was pregnant and too exhausted to do anything, I’d tell my husband… “Shhhh… I’m creating fingers, toes, lungs, etc….” Or, once the development stage stopped and the baby was just growing, I’d say, “I’m creating life! Please get me some water”. It works… use it while you can! :)

Ooh I could use one of these right about now Ange! I had a green smoothie for breakfast but seem to have a really sore throat today and could use a nice green boost! Good luck with the move – I know it feels like it’ll be a ton of work but just think about how amazing your new space will be!! Have a great week (and I hope the preggo nausea isn’t too bad!) :)

This smoothie looks amazingly delicious and easy to put together!! I can totally relate to everything you said about the first trimester. It’s like the worst case of the flu and mono at the same time. I had the hardest time staying awake at work for 10 hours a day. I’m in week 17 this week and the energy level and nausea are both better, although some days my body knows best and I nap and nap and go to bed early!

What kind of exercises have you been doing? Have you still been jogging at all? My doctor told me to keep running, but not to let my heart rate get above 140 (which is impossible for me), so I’ve been speed walking and doing yoga and a light strength training prenatal video.

“It was difficult trying to crank out blog posts because I wasn’t the least bit excited about food.”
This is why last summer, when I was in my first trimester I took a full 3 months off of blogging. Between being so tired & abhorring food (especially anything green or healthy!), I knew I couldn’t bring myself to blog. Also, I wanted to keep my pregnancy under wraps (like you did), but didn’t know how I could genuinely hide it when I was feeling so lousy.

Again, kudos to you for keeping up with everything despite all the sickness. I always feel much more energetic around week 14 (but still nauseated until about week 20-22).

Love the green smoothie! My Blendtec jar broke & while I’m waiting for them to send me a new jar I got a sore throat, which naturally calls for upping the smoothie intake. BUT, since I don’t have a working blender, I had to buy some naked juice. I bought a bottle that has similar ingredients to this one, but it cost $4! Ouch, ouch. I certainly couldn’t afford to support my green smoothie habit if I had to shell out that kind of cash each time. I’m going to try this one as soon as I get my blender jar.

I wonder if we’ll see crazy pregnancy recipes like kale, French fries and peanut butter! My friend is in her 2nd trimester and cannot get enough spicy food. Like reeeeeeaaaaallly spicy food! I’m so happy for you both! <3

Happy and good luck moving!! This smoothie sounds great, Ange! I actually have Vega flax/hemp/something else oil and you’re right to not add it into smoothies because that one is so nasty and it makes my smoothies undrinkable (but getting it over with in a shot is so clever!). I can’t wait to try this smoothie out on Nia :)

Smoothies to the rescue! I know whenever I’m feeling sick or tired or, well, just about anything that’s put me off food… smoothies are a go-to lifesaver. Amazing how much nutrient-dense stuff you can find hanging out in your fridge that goes perfectly together in the blender! I bet baby loves getting all that goodness, too. Glad to hear you’re feeling a bit better!

I’m off the internet for a week and come back to find out you’re pregnant!!! One million congrats, Angela. I am so happy for you and thrilled for this new adventure you are embarking on. Can’t wait for our little vegans to be best friends :)

I got your book as my little birthday gift to myself! It is amazing! I’m making a few of your recipes for my birthday dinner/dessert tonight! And this smoothie will be made this week for sure!!! Your recipes are amazing, even my protein obsessed husband eats it up!

This is a bit unrelated to the post, but I bought your book last week and am LOVING the recipes! Last night I made the African peanut soup with some slight modifications – I would love to do a post on my blog about the book and the recipe but am wondering your policy on putting the full recipe on my blog (apologies if this is listed somewhere…) if you could let me know what you’d prefer that’d be great! It was so delicious!

Hang in there. It does get easier. Pretty soon you will be “glowing” even more! Just got your cookbook last Saturday and wanted to pass along that I have tried the lentil walnut loaf, cauliflower smashed potatoes and the yolos out of the cookbook all to great fan fare! The pumpkin gingerbread with spiced butter cream frosting from the website, too! Your photographs are lovely, too! Thank you for letting me know how to make oat flour!

I’ve been adding more and more to my smoothies, and I looooove the looks of this one! It looks just perfect.

Reading how you’ve felt so far in your pregnancy certainly brought back memories. I vividly remember finally having a tiny iota of energy, just enough to drag myself to the kitchen and chop just enough veggies for a bare-bones Crock Pot chili. And then it was back to the couch for the rest of the day (and heck if I was actually able to *eat* the stuff when it was done). It felt like such a victory at the time! Some days I felt like I couldn’t even hold my head up. And the nausea! Ugh, I feel you. It felt like an eternity while I was knee-deep, but looking back (2 years and a very busy toddler later), it feels like a blip. A miserable blip, but a blip nonetheless. :) Wishing you the best – and thanks for lots more ideas for bulking up my smoothies!

I remember those can’t get off the couch days well! My 3rd baby is now 6 months old and two months ago we found out he has milk and soy protein intolerance. I was already vegetarian but ate a lot of dairy and soy so suddenly having to cut all that out kind of threw me for a loop. I am thrilled to have found your blog, I love your recipes and my little guy’s tummy is happy! I will definitely be trying this smoothie!

I’m wondering this as well! As much as I’d love to rely on food (I’m not pregnant, but trying) I’m a bit of a hypochondriac and feel too paranoid to leave it to chance. I’ve been taking vegan prenatals/DHA just in case, though I’ve also been more diligent with my diet since I know vitamins are not the ideal source–just a backup :) What’s your input, Ange?

Finally picked up your new cookbook! Very much looking forward to it. Unlike yourself I’ve always been a huge breakfast fan and joked with my daughter that I might be eating breakfast three times a day with this new book!

I have no clue if I will get answers but I figured I’d give it a shot :)
First off: HUGE FAN. I “discovered” this website 5 years ago, when I was diagnosed with Lupus at age 17. I went vegan for a year and, much to the dismay of my doc who kept insisting I go on steroids, I have never been hospitalized due to Lupus nor have I had to take a single pill or any kind of medication. This website, your hard work, your recipes, were a huge part in helping a hard-core carnivore not only survive on but fall in LOVE with the vegan diet.

On to my questions…..
When I was vegan, I still lived at home. Now that Hubby and I are living on a tight budget: would you say being vegan is cheaper, about the same or far more expensive than eating non-vegan? I realize it does depend on several factors, but just over-all….

I keep WANTING to go back to being vegan but I find it so hard sharing a household with my meat-loving husband. It doesn’t help that our apartment is too tiny for a nice-sized freezer so I am cooking 2 separate meals when I eat vegan. Doing this all the time can get exhausting. Any tips? Encouragement? Ideas?

I just ate a bratwurst and now I feel so heavy and sick that I wish I had just had a nice BBQ’d veggie cabob with some fresh pineapple instead…mmmmm yummm….

Edith, you can cook the meat for your hubby and round out his dish with your vegan recipe. I also cook meat based meals with enough for leftovers. On meat leftover day, I make a vegan meal with enough for leftovers. Then you are only cooking one meal at a time.

This looks so good — and with all of that protein and fiber, I hope it made you feel a little bit better! I remember trying to write a monthly food column a few years ago while in the midst of bulimia/anorexia…writing about food when food is not your friend, for whatever reason, is not fun. I’m glad to hear you’re feeling a little bit better, and I hope that trend continues :)

I wasn’t sure of the best platform to write this, so I hope you do end up seeing this comment at some point. I just wanted to express my profound thanks to you and the recipes you create. I am about a week behind you in my pregnancy, and right at the start when I was a feeling a little off balance my doctor recommended I see a dietitian, which I did. I’ve been a vegan for a few years now, but needless to say this dietitian really shook me up and throughout the consultation constantly questioned why I wouldn’t eat meat or dairy and maybe I should just eat a little, not only for my health but for the health of my baby. This is my first pregnancy so not really knowing to do, I started to question my eating habits and ate a little of these things which just didn’t feel right, I felt horrible. Anyway, to cut an already long story short, your blog and recent cookbook have re-instilled my vegan beliefs and ideals and I am so thankful that you choose to share such nourishing and delicious recipes. I know this is the right way for me and I’m so glad to be back on track so thank you for inspiring one of your many readers, all the way from Australia! Best wishes to you for a healthy, trouble free pregnancy.

Hi there,
Sorry to hear about your experience! I just wanted to let you know (as I’ve just shared with Angela in another comment) that I had a successful vegan pregnancy myself. Fortunately, I was seeing a midwife at the time who was very supportive so I didn’t necessarily have to go through what you are now going through (though some of our family was concerned) — my best advice, and I’m not a nutritionist or a professional — just someone who has been where you are — is to eat as varied a vegan diet as you can. If you have been vegan for a while then you know what you need — plenty of iron rich and plant based proteins from beans and legumes and nuts and seeds — calcium and mineral rich greens like kale and collards — and a good vegan prenatal vitamin — that’s just a beginning but if you keep reading Angela’s blog I’m positive she will have plenty of input for you. All the best to you! Wren.

Just picked up my copy at Costco in Seattle! Can’t wait to go through it. Congratulations on your book and BABY! You’re a wonderful writer and so creative in developing your recipes. I’ve loved following your blog the last few years!
Best,
Carrie

Smoothie looks tempting and it’s very helpful for me too ;) except the summer season is almost in the end here in Australia. But I would love to try as we are enjoying quite last few days of summer season.

Hats off for drinking green monsters during your pregnancy! So good for you and Baby. I was in love with your classic recipe…until I got pregnant. Then the thought and smell of it turned my tummy…go figure! Now my little one is 4 months and the Tropical Beauty recipe from your book has gotten me back onto the green smoothie train. I’m addicted!

Congratulations on the baby, and keep posting those bump pictures! Also, if you have time, try to keep a journal. You’ll love going back and re-living the experience (even the bad parts!) after Baby arrives. :-)

I’m not a fan of smoothies as I prefer to eat my meals rather than drink them. Just a personal preference. But I loved the ingredients in this so I turned it into a salad. I cut the pink grapefruit and apple into chunks. Then added kale, chopped mint leaves, celery and cucumber slices and let it all sit overnight. This morning I sprinkled the salad with hemp hearts and shredded coconut and had it for breakfast. It was delicious! The grapefruit and mint were fantastic together. I never would have thought of this combination on my own.

Congratulations on your pregnancy Angela! I love your blog and your cookbook is amazing! I have a question for you and/or your readers: what is the best gf pizza crust recipe you have made? I am trying to cut back on gluten because it doesn’t make me feel good. I searched for recipes on your site and got hundreds of results, which left me a bit overwhelmed as to where to start. I love oats so a recipe that contains those would be so awesome. I tried a cauliflower pizza crust this past weekend and while it was ok, I just wasn’t that crazy about it as a pizza crust. Thanks so much for your help! :)

this smoothie looks perfect – and I have most of the ingredients on hand! I didn’t know you were pregnant – congrats! I am too – 26 weeks :-) I have been loving green smoothies during pregnancy so will make this soon.

This looks fantastic! I wanted to share a smoothie revelation I recently stumbled across: coconut milk ice cubes. I froze extra coconut milk after making your hot fudge earlier this week in an ice cube tray and have been adding 1-2 to my morning smoothie since. Tropical and nutritious!

Oh, my! Congrats on your pregnancy!! It has been a while since I have browsed your blog but I am a long time fan of your writing and cooking, so I’m obviously thrilled to hear that you have a little one on the way. I was also vegan throughout my entire pregnancy with our daughter (she’s 18 months old now). Would have loved posts like this one at the time–what a resource. Keep writing because there are plenty of women who are looking for this kind of nutritional breakdown and support during a vegan pregnancy. Best to you and yours!
Wren

I cannot wait to try this smoothie! I love your blender, too. I need to get one like that. I just started a plant-based diet, which is recommended by author Lynne Goldberg in her excellent book, Get Balanced, Get Blissed: Nourishment for Body, Mind, and Soul. Not only did she help me understand the benefits of a plant-based diet, but also included tips on mediation techniques and how to improve your overall health and well-being. I highly recommend reading her book – liveblissnow.com/

Hi Angela, I am loving your cookbook-it is awesome! You did an amazing and inspirational job. Your first recipes that I made was the “Out-The-Door Chia Power Donuts” they came out great and your “Nutty Herb Croutons” they are so cleaver and delicious. Congrats to you on your pregnancy and your new home too! How is Sketchie? Is he in a treatment and responding, will he be ok?
Karen

I’m a new vegan. Well, actually- my husband, kids and I are all new Vegans. Two months and counting. I love your recipes. I do have a request though; I would love for you to make a weeks worth of sample menu’s (very easy ones) to reference on those nights when “what’s for dinner??” “I forgot to soak the beans!” “OH NO!” happens! Maybe even one with shopping list or check list. Thank you!

Your pictures look amazing! I love smoothies and I am really inspired that you are still able to drink them – I keep reading about women having an aversion to green foods early on in pregnancy :) That scares me because I LOVE green veggies, so when the time comes for me I hope I can manage too! I’m excited to follow along on your healthy pregnancy foodie adventures, especially since you are vegan (like me!).

Just wanted to say congratulations!!! I am due in June and have been loving your recipes throughout my pregnancy. I’m with you on the smoothies, all too often I just can’t find any motivation to make a full meal. Can’t wait to try this one, looks incredible!!

It is very interesting that you are craving grapefruit right now. When I was pregnant I had horrible all day sickness. The only thing that would stop it was sour foods and drinks. I craved sour all the time. Then I saw sour /ginger candies at a mommy store for morning sickness and I thought genius.

I love green smoothies! I subbed spinach for the kale, added a fresh orange, and ended up ditching the celery the second time I made it. My taste buds had a difficult time with the grapefruit + celery taste (it was strangely bitter) so I tried it without the celery and it helped balance the flavors a bit more.

How long do you think a smoothie like this would last in the fridge? I thought about making batches ahead of time so I can grab one on the go. 3-4 days?

Oh I am so excited to hear you are pregnant! I have been looking at your blog for years and have been having babies all along. I have 3 now. And actually couldn’t wait to see what you would eat while you were prego. I tried so hard to eat healthy as I do when I am not pregnant but for some reason I just craved bad food. I am almost back on track. Thank you so much for all the yummy food you post about. I get inspired everyday!!

I went to Costco yesterday and I saw your book, I was over the moon excited!!! There were only 7 copies left. Your book is absolutely beautiful! And your dedication to Eric in the front was so sweet, it made me teary eyed. I am so happy for you! Happy packing for you guys, and congrats on the baby!

I love your recipes, I saved up Cauliflower Pasta al fredo for my birthday and your Chocolate chilli beans are a staple.

I followed this smoothie recipe from HeyFranHey and as I work out a lot, and counting my protein intake carefully, I’m really into this recipe. I live in Australia and although I can buy hemp protein powder, it is still forbidden to purchase any hemp consumables, other than for ‘cosmetic use’! Unbelievable I know, but true – the only country in the world :( Makes it hard to find answers about what I’m getting out of the hemp flour vs. the hearts vs. the refined protein powder etc.

I have started (unlawfully) making hemp milk for my protein shakes, using a hemp flour from whole hemp seeds, but it is difficult to judge how much protein I am getting from them as there is no nutritional guide provided. I wondered – how did you measure the protein in this smoothie recipe? which percentage you might have derived from your 4 Tbsp of hemp hearts and what percentage from the whole fruits and vegetables?

Sorry for this long-winded question – I have been researching endlessly but feel unresolved :) Much appreciated!

Hi Jessica,
I am having the same problem in NZ. Animal grade hemp products, are they safe for us?? And i have found the oil but does this have the same nutritional content and like you said – how much to use. Just wondering, have you had any luck with your research?

“I feel like I’m walking around with this little friend inside of me, who goes wherever I go and lets me know when to slow down and rest.”

I LOVE the way you worded this, especially the first part of the sentence! When my (now four-month-old) son was one- or two-months old, since I am nursing and I find it more convenient to just take him with me than to pump, I realized, “We are pretty much inseparable. He’s just my little buddy right now!” A baby is an amazing addition to a person’s life!

Congrats on the pregnancy. I am 38.5 weeks, and have been enjoying this smoothie as a great way to beat end-of-pregnancy fatigue. I plan on making a batch (or having my husband do it) when I go into early labor to keep me going. Best of luck to you!

Congratulations on your pregnancy, Angela! I’m 8 weeks along with my first, taking algae supplements too. You look so fit in your pregnancy photos with the lemon that I thought, she must still be running, not sleeping 11 hours and feeling run down like me! So thanks for letting us know that your first trimester was tough, too! I have been on your blog for years, but glad to have a vegan pregnant blogger to follow during my vegan pregnancy. Thanks for such a great blog.

This might be silly, but does putting the hemp hearts in the blender not destroy their nutritional value at all? I’ve been playing around with adding them to my green smoothies and have wondered about it as I pour them in my nutribullet! :)

Just want to say I bought your cook book, and believe me I have a lot of them but must say yours is the first one I have ever used this much I love everything that I have tried Thanks for putting out such a great cookbook, and congrat,s on becoming parents,

Gee. Everything looks divine and the recipes are extraordinary, but who has the time to shop for all these things, and then make all these things? I just wish there were a chain of restaurants that served the food in this book, or a frozen food line for them. I”m so tired of hunting, gathering and preparing…

Besides tasting fantastic, this smoothie freezes well! I clunked it into my Vitamix (Um, yeah, perhaps an ice cube tray would have been a better idea.) and whirled half of the recipe with 1 cup of coconut water. This will taste so yummy on hot summer mornings.

I had such intense fatigue during my first trimester too — and then I read somewhere that it partially relates to the growth of the placenta during this period (not sure if that’s true, but I took it!) It was oddly satisfying to see the placenta come out after the birth… it looked huge and I was like – that explains that crushing fatigue! My body was building a person AND a big organ! Whoa!

Another great green smoothie!
As another vegan runner who is hoping for a baby soon, I’d love to hear about how you’ve modified (or not modified?) your workouts and what DVDs, etc you’re enjoying now. From this post, I think I can guess your answer for the first trimester… But I’d love to hear any insights you have :)

Thank you so much for putting the nutrition information! It would be so great if you could include more nutrition information in the future. My husband is recently diagnosed with diabetes. As part of his health care management we are trying to switch to more plant based meals. My friend introduced me to your blog and bought me your amazing cookbook. We have to do carb counting for him so I have mainly been relying on diabetic friendly cookbooks that include carb servings. I love your recipes though and would love to be able to use more of them without the added hassle of having to figure out the nutrition facts.

This is so delicious! I am extremely sensitive to gluten and dairy and fortunately moved past that point a while ago of being sad that I couldn’t eat all of that processed food. I love to experiment and try new things that make my body and tastebuds happy. I ran across this site looking for raw recipes since I am about to do a long trek and have been sans stove for a few weeks.

I’m staying in B&Bs on this trek and some people “get it” but then some don’t. So, I’m looking for good raw meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) that I can prep quickly with my rollup cutting board, knife, and blender bottle.

I love this smoothie. Tastes awesome. I felt ok after drinking it. Unfortunately, my food sensitivity results conducted by my naturopath showed that I am intolerant to kale. I would never have guessed that I couldn’t eat kale. Think that the smoothie would taste ok with spinach instead of kale?

Loved this recipe!!! So yummy and nutritious, plus the protein content is amazing!!! I have been enjoying this smoothie the past few days. I had run out of a few things this morning to make it so I substituted. Instead of the apple and cucumber, I added banana and spinach and found it just as delicious. I love my morning smoothies and love hearing of new ways to keep changing them.

I don’t usually comment on blog sites but I have to comment! Lol! This smoothie is amazing! If fact, every recipe I have tried from both your blog and your cookbook has been amazing! I am new to a vegan diet and am still learning and experimenting and I am so grateful for your blog and your cookbook! Thank you for taking the guess work out of these wonderful recipes! I have tried other recipes off of different sites and have sadly had to throw away some of them while others have been just kinda blah but I have only had successful results with your recipes! This is going to sound silly but I feel like your recipes have transformed my life! I have always had a love hate relationship with food and am now loving it and enjoying great tasting food knowing that what I’m eating and feeding to my family is not only delicious but also full of yummy goodness for optimal health! Thank you thank you thank you! lol! I am truly grateful!

So I just made this smoothie with my Ninja (on high for about 3 mins). I did everything as written except my mango wasn’t frozen, and I used 1 tbs of chia seeds vs. the hemp seeds. It tastes good, but I’m chewing after each sip from the straw. Also, mine is much darker than the one pictured. I’m fairly new to green smoothies, so any advice is appreciated,

Thanks for creating a wonderful, delicous, and filling smoothie! I work in the medical field and don’t know when lunch will be. I have made this smoothie for the past 3 days and it has kept me full until lunch!

VERY allergic to mango (and pomegranate as well unfortunately, boooo), any ideas for substitutes for this recipe? Or should I just skip past that flavor aspect and make the recipe with everything else?

I love smoothies for breakfast, but I find I end up making mainly fruit based ones. I’m not sure if I know take too much sugar from all the fruit. Is it possible to make a tasty, non fruity or at least less sweet smoothie. Sometimes the ones I have tried just end up tasting earthy!

These posts are from March, and this is November, but I just had to report in. I found this recipe today, discovered I had all the ingredients in the kitchen, made the smoothie and boom! Taste sensation! This is the most delicious green smoothie I have ever had. I think it’s the mint. Or is it the mango? Whatever it is, the result is just amazing. Thank you, and good luck with everything.

I just made this and loved it. Though I couldn’t get the hemp seeds of frozen mango in my part of the UK (at least not this week).

One thing I would question though. You say cucumber and celery prevent water retention. Surely that’s only by virtue of them being mostly water rather than some extra benefit you wouldn’t gain from just drinking enough water in the first place.

I’m the owner of lushtummy.com….a smoothie delivey in Toronto, Canada….and I just wanted to tell you that I Love the info you provide here….very informative….I just recently took up smoothies and raw foods…and it has changed my life.
Thank you for enriching it even further !!!

Hi Angela,
love your fabulous recipes, been using them as part of my plant based lifestyle for a few years. I noticed in this post you recommend the algae oil. I’ve never tried it, currently using flax oil. Any insight on whether one is better than the other? I’m thinking of starting to introduce to my 1 year old. Thanks!

I’m a fan of your book! I just discovered this recipe a couple days ago and I’ve been having it every morning, sharing with my 9 month old. My husband thinks I’m ridiculous because I won’t shut up about this smoothie. I’m so in love!

Lots of good things in this smoothie and it was fresh tasting. Next time I will leave out the coconut oil ( did not need the calories) and the celery. The celery gave it to much of a grassy taste for me. I’m not a huge fan of celery though so that may be just me!

Super tasty! This is great when my stomach doesn’t feel like solid foods, and it is an energy boost. Since my doc said that cucumber was one of my inflammatory foods, I’ve been substituting peeled chopped zucchini and you can’t taste a difference! Going to make one right now.

This morning I tried my very first green smoothie. While I was throwing all ingredients in the blender, was thinking how to find courage to drink it. I was very surprised how good it tastes! What is even more surprizing is that at this very moment MY HUSBAND is drinking it also! ( I wished his mom could see it! Just by telling her that she won’t beleive me). The guy, who’s name by the way is also Eric, who would turn his nose away from everything looking greenish just finished his first glass of very green drink ;-) Miracles happen after all… Definitaly 5 stars for this smoothie

Thank you so much for this recipe, it really sounds amazing! I am fairly active, so I was thinking about boosting the protein content with some peanut butter. Does anyone have any thoughts about this by chance?

Thanks for the awesome smoothie recipe- just made it and enjoying the delicious blend as I write this:-) I used half a granny smith and a little extra water- it tastes wonderful. Have a bun in the oven myself and like yourself the first trimester was a queasy and miserable road. Looking forward to trying some more of your healthy and tasty recipes!

I think this sounds like a wonderful recipe. Have a question. If you make it for two medium servings, can you refrigerate the second serving? I would rather make to medium servings rather than 1 large serving. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

I usually get a flu or cold every single fall or winter season as I work closely with the public, but decided that this year I would try an experiment. Almost every morning (i’m talking 6 days a week from September to December) I drank the Green Warrior smoothy to give my body a big dose of vitamins and nutrients in hope of keeping my immune system strong and the results are in. I did not get sick once, and I had a number of sneezy, coughy clients in my chair this season (hair dresser). Of course, I can’t say for sure that this addition to my diet is the reason, but I believe it had something to do with it! There’s nothing better for your body than the nutrients that come from whole foods. Going to try the Classic Green Monster to switch things up for the new year. Thanks Angela!

Hey Alicia, You can always add a scoop of your favourite protein powder in place of the hemp hearts, if you still want that protein boost without the hemp hearts. These days I’m really liking Omega Nutrition Pumpkin Seed Protein Powder and Sunwarrior Warrior Blend in “natural”. A big spoonful or nut or seed butter is also high in protein, and can add about 4 grams of protein per tablespoon. I also know some people swear by adding silken tofu, but I haven’t tried it yet myself. Hope this helps!

Today was my first day of being an official vegan. So far so good! Today I had the green monster shake for breakfast, after the purchase of my first blender. It was very good and kept me going through my morning run. I am very excited to start this new journey and lifestyle of a vegan. Thank you Angela for inspiring me! I will definitely keep making your delicious recipes. I will be sure to tell my friends.

Hey Anic, I think a reader or two mentioned freezing this smoothie with some success! I’d check back through the comments for any suggestions they shared. :) Also, you can always make up smoothie freezer packs: simply freeze some of the non-liquid smoothie ingredients in a freezer bag, then press out the air and seal. It’s a great trick for make-ahead smoothies, and the packs can be stored in the freezer for 1 to 2 weeks. When you’re ready to use, just add the liquid ingredients into your blender along with the contents of the bag. Blend on high until smooth (adding ice only if necessary).

I gonna give it to you – this smoothie does not seem like the most delicious treat there is with its green color. However, it is packed with many health nutrients health-conscious people like myself cannot resist. Thanks for this, I will certainly be enjoying it on a regular basis.